Subject Expert
Get Help
- Text Message us! 509-383-8677
- 509-359-2263 JFK Library reference desk (Cheney)
Featured resources
- Income and Poverty in the United States: 2015
This link opens in a new window
- Poverty: Major Themes in Past Debates and Current Proposals
- This link opens in a new window
- State Child Welfare Policy Database
- This link opens in a new window
- The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act: 40 Years of Safeguarding America’s Children
- This link opens in a new window
- Older Americans Act: Background and Overview
- This link opens in a new window
- New! IDEA Website
- This link opens in a new window
Resources about Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), its purpose and history, and Other laws for children with disabilities
Selected Social Policy Website
- National Association of Social Workers: Legislative IssuesProvides issue briefs based on Congress legislative agenda in the following areas: child welfare, civil rights, economic equity, education, health, loan forgiveness, and mental health.
Liya's presentation slides
Identify Social Issues and Locate Background Information on Social Welfare Policies
- Encyclopedia of Social Work This link opens in a new windowEncyclopedia of Social Work is a continuously updated online collaboration between the National Association of Social Workers and Oxford University Press. It includes over 800 articles that cover every facet of social work policy and practice, brief biographies of over 200 key figures in social work history, and references and links to related social work resources. Encyclopedia of Social Work is regularly updated with new and revised articles.
- CQ Researcher -- 1923-present This link opens in a new windowArticles from this magazine; each weekly issue covers one current event or policy topic.
Oxford Handbook of U. S. Social Policy
This link opens in a new window
Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2014The first substantive part of the handbook offers an historical overview of U.S. social policy from the colonial era to the present. The three following parts of the volume focus on concrete social programs for the elderly, the poor and near-poor, the disabled, and workers and families.
Encyclopedia of Social Welfare History in North America- This link opens in a new window
Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2005Topics covered include: Child welfare, Economic conditions and social welfare, Health Policy, Landmark social welfare legislation, Poverty, Race and social inequality, Social problems, Social welfare reform, etc.
Find Scholarly Articles in Subject-Specific Databases
These databases are most likely to contain articles that address contemporary social issues from an academic or professional perspective, as well as general or legal articles relating to current U.S. federal, state or local government policies.
- Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowAcademic journals, magazines, periodicals, reports, books, and videos in all subjects.
- PsycInfo - APA (EBSCOhost) -- 1806-present This link opens in a new windowA large and comprehensive index of peer-reviewed psychology journals, plus selected book chapters, books, and dissertations, in some cases back to the 1800's. Produced by the American Psychological Association.
- SocINDEX with Full Text (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowDatabase for sociology, with solid coverage for social work, social psychology, addictions, and criminal justice issues. Full text for journals dating back as far as 1908, with selective text and abstracts for others going back as far as 1895, plus numerous books, conference papers, and other monographs.
- Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowArticles from criminal justice magazines and journals, with indexing/abstracting from others.
Find Newspaper and Legal Articles
These comprehensive news databases may be used to identify contemporary social issues and some of the agencies or stakeholders involved with them.
- Newspaper Source Plus (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowSelected full-text articles from U.S. newspapers, along with over one million radio and television transcripts.
Additional Reference Sources
International Encyclopedia of Social Policy- This link opens in a new window
Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 2010The book provides authoritative coverage of concepts, policy actors, welfare institutions and services along a series of national, regional and transnational dimensions.
Legal Research in a Nutshell by Call Number: Ref KF240 .C54 2016Publication Date: 2016This guide covers research procedures using major online services, free Internet resources, and library materials. Discussion includes coverage of legislative history, administrative law, specialized and interdisciplinary resources, and research in international and comparative law.
Congress.gov & USA.gov
- Congress.govCongress.gov is the official source for federal legislative information including Congressional bills, Public Laws, & Congressional Record from 101st Congress (1989) forward;
- USA.gov
- This link opens in a new window
Portal to government information and services. Browse by agency to find research reports and policy briefs on agency websites.
Finding Washington State Laws and Regulations
- Revised Code of Washington (RCW)
- This link opens in a new window
- Washington Administrative Code (WAC)
- This link opens in a new window
- Washington State LegislatureOfficial site for both the House and Senate. Access bills, laws, and administrative regulations.
- Washington State Law Library
- This link opens in a new window